1998 Trans Am - Should I buy?
12-01-2012, 03:48 PM
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Staging Lane
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1998 Trans Am - Should I buy? Hello Community,
I am new to the LS1TECH community and to sports cars in general. Computers is my sweet spot, you can ask my anything about it and I can help! However, when it comes to cars, I am slowly learning!
I sold my GSX-R a few months ago and have been interested in Trans Am's. I really like the way they look and sound with SLP Loudmouth exhaust. I have been looking for a 1998-1999 Trans Am for a few months now. All the ones (in my price range $4,500-$5,500) I have looked at are not in the greatest condition. They either have ripped liners, shattered dashes, or leather is tore to shreds. I know it will not be perfect, but would prefer one where I don't have to dump a lot of money into it.
On to the real question. I found this 1998 Trans Am for sale with several modifications. I spoke to the guy and he purchased it from someone a few months ago to fix up and then resell. He told me the engine and transmission has been rebuilt - 140K on the body and about 40k on the engine and transmission. Unfortunately, he does not have the papers on the transmission or engine rebuilt. I also asked if the transmission, engine, or t-tops leak and to his knowledge they do not.
Here is the post for the car:
"1998 Pontiac Trans Am, 5.7 LS1, A/T, long tube headers with y pipe and aftermarket exhaust, slp lid, egr tube has been shortened, transmission has been rebuilt with a shift kit and has a B&M shift plus controller with 3 settings, rear gear has been changed to a 3:55 gear ratio with posi trac, graphite metallic corvette wheels, t-tops, nice leather interior, seats are soft with no rips or tears, sony CD player with i pod/mp3/usb flash drive ports, ram air hood, car has new black paint less than 1 month old, car runs and drives great, i drive it almost everyday, have clear Ohio title in hand, $5700 or make offer"
What do you (the community) think? Is it worth the $5,700? Is there any other questions I should as to find out? I would definitely appreciate any advice or opinions.
Thanks,
CP
I am new to the LS1TECH community and to sports cars in general. Computers is my sweet spot, you can ask my anything about it and I can help! However, when it comes to cars, I am slowly learning!
I sold my GSX-R a few months ago and have been interested in Trans Am's. I really like the way they look and sound with SLP Loudmouth exhaust. I have been looking for a 1998-1999 Trans Am for a few months now. All the ones (in my price range $4,500-$5,500) I have looked at are not in the greatest condition. They either have ripped liners, shattered dashes, or leather is tore to shreds. I know it will not be perfect, but would prefer one where I don't have to dump a lot of money into it.
On to the real question. I found this 1998 Trans Am for sale with several modifications. I spoke to the guy and he purchased it from someone a few months ago to fix up and then resell. He told me the engine and transmission has been rebuilt - 140K on the body and about 40k on the engine and transmission. Unfortunately, he does not have the papers on the transmission or engine rebuilt. I also asked if the transmission, engine, or t-tops leak and to his knowledge they do not.
Here is the post for the car:
"1998 Pontiac Trans Am, 5.7 LS1, A/T, long tube headers with y pipe and aftermarket exhaust, slp lid, egr tube has been shortened, transmission has been rebuilt with a shift kit and has a B&M shift plus controller with 3 settings, rear gear has been changed to a 3:55 gear ratio with posi trac, graphite metallic corvette wheels, t-tops, nice leather interior, seats are soft with no rips or tears, sony CD player with i pod/mp3/usb flash drive ports, ram air hood, car has new black paint less than 1 month old, car runs and drives great, i drive it almost everyday, have clear Ohio title in hand, $5700 or make offer"
What do you (the community) think? Is it worth the $5,700? Is there any other questions I should as to find out? I would definitely appreciate any advice or opinions.
Thanks,
CP
12-02-2012, 07:21 AM
#2
TECH Junkie
Since you are new to the F-body world let me share some of my 16+ years of F-body ownership with you (Yes, I bought a new '96 Formula in July 1996 and then traded it in for my current ride).
There are exceptions to every rule but generally speaking you need to up your price range. That $5,000 area is going to buy you nothing but heartache, and sour your first F-body ownership experience. The last thing you want is a 'money pit' for a car and I can tell you right now that is exactly what you will be buying with that car you mention, especially with no paperwork (red flags are flying everywhere!)
I believe you should be looking north of $8,000 and even then you have to be very careful. Many modded cars are beaten and abused, and again that phrase, a 'money pit'. Stock, low mileage examples are generally the best bang for the buck if the owner took care of the car. You won't find many of these examples for cheap. It is much better to save up for a decent example than to lay out repair costs over and over until you curse the day you bought it. Unless you are adept at 'do it yourself' repairs, be very careful you don't make a big mistake. "You get what you pay for" 9 times out of 10. Good luck!
There are exceptions to every rule but generally speaking you need to up your price range. That $5,000 area is going to buy you nothing but heartache, and sour your first F-body ownership experience. The last thing you want is a 'money pit' for a car and I can tell you right now that is exactly what you will be buying with that car you mention, especially with no paperwork (red flags are flying everywhere!)
I believe you should be looking north of $8,000 and even then you have to be very careful. Many modded cars are beaten and abused, and again that phrase, a 'money pit'. Stock, low mileage examples are generally the best bang for the buck if the owner took care of the car. You won't find many of these examples for cheap. It is much better to save up for a decent example than to lay out repair costs over and over until you curse the day you bought it. Unless you are adept at 'do it yourself' repairs, be very careful you don't make a big mistake. "You get what you pay for" 9 times out of 10. Good luck!
12-02-2012, 07:36 AM
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Where was it painted? Any paperwork?
Also, those are Camaro seats, not Trans Am seats....that would bother me if I bought it.
If the engine was rebuilt, the car was painted, and the seats/interior were replaced... that to me are signs the car wasn't taken care of very well.
Also, those are Camaro seats, not Trans Am seats....that would bother me if I bought it.
If the engine was rebuilt, the car was painted, and the seats/interior were replaced... that to me are signs the car wasn't taken care of very well.
12-02-2012, 08:05 AM
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Yeah, I agree. You can find a good deal on here for a decent price, plus you can do some research and follow the cars history just by looking through posts. The one you posted sounds like a headache. LOOK ELSEWHERE..
12-02-2012, 08:17 AM
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Staging Lane
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Since you are new to the F-body world let me share some of my 16+ years of F-body ownership with you (Yes, I bought a new '96 Formula in July 1996 and then traded it in for my current ride).
There are exceptions to every rule but generally speaking you need to up your price range. That $5,000 area is going to buy you nothing but heartache, and sour your first F-body ownership experience. The last thing you want is a 'money pit' for a car and I can tell you right now that is exactly what you will be buying with that car you mention, especially with no paperwork (red flags are flying everywhere!)
I believe you should be looking north of $8,000 and even then you have to be very careful. Many modded cars are beaten and abused, and again that phrase, a 'money pit'. Stock, low mileage examples are generally the best bang for the buck if the owner took care of the car. You won't find many of these examples for cheap. It is much better to save up for a decent example than to lay out repair costs over and over until you curse the day you bought it. Unless you are adept at 'do it yourself' repairs, be very careful you don't make a big mistake. "You get what you pay for" 9 times out of 10. Good luck!
There are exceptions to every rule but generally speaking you need to up your price range. That $5,000 area is going to buy you nothing but heartache, and sour your first F-body ownership experience. The last thing you want is a 'money pit' for a car and I can tell you right now that is exactly what you will be buying with that car you mention, especially with no paperwork (red flags are flying everywhere!)
I believe you should be looking north of $8,000 and even then you have to be very careful. Many modded cars are beaten and abused, and again that phrase, a 'money pit'. Stock, low mileage examples are generally the best bang for the buck if the owner took care of the car. You won't find many of these examples for cheap. It is much better to save up for a decent example than to lay out repair costs over and over until you curse the day you bought it. Unless you are adept at 'do it yourself' repairs, be very careful you don't make a big mistake. "You get what you pay for" 9 times out of 10. Good luck!
He told me he traded for the car a few months ago to fix it up and resell. Every few months he will get another car, fix it and resell. The person who owned the car before he traded for it did not have the paperwork for the rebuild, but gave him the information of the company that did the rebuild.
12-02-2012, 08:20 AM
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Staging Lane
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Where was it painted? Any paperwork?
Also, those are Camaro seats, not Trans Am seats....that would bother me if I bought it.
If the engine was rebuilt, the car was painted, and the seats/interior were replaced... that to me are signs the car wasn't taken care of very well.
Also, those are Camaro seats, not Trans Am seats....that would bother me if I bought it.
If the engine was rebuilt, the car was painted, and the seats/interior were replaced... that to me are signs the car wasn't taken care of very well.
I didn't know the seats are Camaro seats until someone else pointed it out. He told me he replaced the seats becuase the original ones were not in great condition.
12-02-2012, 08:25 AM
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Staging Lane
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Oh I forgot to ask, should I stay away from a 1998 or 1999 TA that has around 154K miles and the original interior for around $5,500?
For example this car on here: https://ls1tech.com/forums/vehicle-c...new-price.html
For example this car on here: https://ls1tech.com/forums/vehicle-c...new-price.html
Trending Topics
12-03-2012, 08:24 AM
#8
TECH Junkie
Oh I forgot to ask, should I stay away from a 1998 or 1999 TA that has around 154K miles and the original interior for around $5,500?
For example this car on here: https://ls1tech.com/forums/vehicle-c...new-price.html
For example this car on here: https://ls1tech.com/forums/vehicle-c...new-price.html
12-03-2012, 08:06 PM
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Staging Lane
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Alright, I just finished looking at the car and it is beautiful. Boy does she sound good as well! The paint job looks really good, but I did notice white substance in between the cracks/crevices of the of the quarter panels (you can see in the pictures). Not sure if it is from the primer or what not. He said when he painted the car he just taped off what he needed. He used a base coat and then clear coat. I asked him if he removed the handles form the door and he said no, he just painted it with them attached.
Before I test drove the car, I did a complete inspection. He said the car has sat since lunchtime and when we started it up it, the oil pressure was around 40. We let the car idle for about 15 minutes as I walked around it and asked him questions. While driving the car for about 25 minutes or so the oil
pressure was around 35.
The car sounded good when I drove it. The headers and exhaust sound really good. There is no noise when you put it in reverse to go slow or driving forward. There is no whining noise when you're going at a high-speed. However, there is a vibration that you can feel in the foot pedal when you give it gas. There is also a dinging/banging noise up front. He said it's the long tube headers and they are hitting the engine/body because it's in a very tight space. Also, in the back you can hear the exhaust rattle some. I did not hear any rear-end noise.
I asked him about the oil pump and he does not know if the oil pump was replaced with an LS6 oil
pump. He traded a Chevy pickup truck for this car, and the gentleman who had the car, mentioned the guy before him was the one who had the engine and transmission rebuilt. Again, there is no paperwork. He mentioned he didn't like that there's no paperwork and if I don't believe him that's fine, but he has no way to prove it. However, I think the car drove really well for the 140K on the body and approximately 40,000 on the engine and transmission.
The original seats that were in the car were hard and ripped. He replaced it with
Camaro seats from a 2002 Camaro that was totaled. Also, he took the headliner from the Camaro to put in the Trans Am because there was not one. The car is missing the driver and passenger side visors, but there are holes for them. In addition, the seal on the outside of the bottom window looks like someone
re-glued (or tried to fix it) it back together - you'll be able to see what I'm talking about in the pictures.
Unfortunately, I was not able to see the underneath of the car on a lift. He works at his parent’s auto shop and all the lifts were taken or he would have put it up for me. From what I was able to see by my
looking underneath the car it looks decent. The driver side long tube header looks rusted, but the passenger side header underneath looks nice and shiny. You can see it in the pictures.
I took some pictures of the headers from the top of the engine and there is rust on both sides (which you can see in the pictures). Also, the wire that is running around the back intake is for the shifter. He said there is a three stage controller installed (he showed it to me). Middle is for stock, while up and down is for two different stages.
The engine light is on, but that is because the car has not been tuned for not having the back cats or O2 sensors. Also, the security light is on, but he does not know why.
I asked him if he was flexible on the price and he said yes. I asked him what is he looking to get out of it and he said he would like to get $5300 out of it.
Overall, the car seemed really well, but the only thing I'm not 100% sure about, is why the long tube header is moving (hitting the engine/body), as well as the exhaust rattling. Also, I am not too thrilled about the amount of rust on the bottom of the car, but more so the headers.
What do you guys think? What do you think about the pictures? Is it worth $5300 or no?
Before I test drove the car, I did a complete inspection. He said the car has sat since lunchtime and when we started it up it, the oil pressure was around 40. We let the car idle for about 15 minutes as I walked around it and asked him questions. While driving the car for about 25 minutes or so the oil
pressure was around 35.
The car sounded good when I drove it. The headers and exhaust sound really good. There is no noise when you put it in reverse to go slow or driving forward. There is no whining noise when you're going at a high-speed. However, there is a vibration that you can feel in the foot pedal when you give it gas. There is also a dinging/banging noise up front. He said it's the long tube headers and they are hitting the engine/body because it's in a very tight space. Also, in the back you can hear the exhaust rattle some. I did not hear any rear-end noise.
I asked him about the oil pump and he does not know if the oil pump was replaced with an LS6 oil
pump. He traded a Chevy pickup truck for this car, and the gentleman who had the car, mentioned the guy before him was the one who had the engine and transmission rebuilt. Again, there is no paperwork. He mentioned he didn't like that there's no paperwork and if I don't believe him that's fine, but he has no way to prove it. However, I think the car drove really well for the 140K on the body and approximately 40,000 on the engine and transmission.
The original seats that were in the car were hard and ripped. He replaced it with
Camaro seats from a 2002 Camaro that was totaled. Also, he took the headliner from the Camaro to put in the Trans Am because there was not one. The car is missing the driver and passenger side visors, but there are holes for them. In addition, the seal on the outside of the bottom window looks like someone
re-glued (or tried to fix it) it back together - you'll be able to see what I'm talking about in the pictures.
Unfortunately, I was not able to see the underneath of the car on a lift. He works at his parent’s auto shop and all the lifts were taken or he would have put it up for me. From what I was able to see by my
looking underneath the car it looks decent. The driver side long tube header looks rusted, but the passenger side header underneath looks nice and shiny. You can see it in the pictures.
I took some pictures of the headers from the top of the engine and there is rust on both sides (which you can see in the pictures). Also, the wire that is running around the back intake is for the shifter. He said there is a three stage controller installed (he showed it to me). Middle is for stock, while up and down is for two different stages.
The engine light is on, but that is because the car has not been tuned for not having the back cats or O2 sensors. Also, the security light is on, but he does not know why.
I asked him if he was flexible on the price and he said yes. I asked him what is he looking to get out of it and he said he would like to get $5300 out of it.
Overall, the car seemed really well, but the only thing I'm not 100% sure about, is why the long tube header is moving (hitting the engine/body), as well as the exhaust rattling. Also, I am not too thrilled about the amount of rust on the bottom of the car, but more so the headers.
What do you guys think? What do you think about the pictures? Is it worth $5300 or no?
